Contact: Les Riley, Executive Director, The Morning Center, 662-760-8695

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 29, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Morning Center announced the birth of baby #100 by one of their clinics in Memphis, TN. Dr Laura Engbretson, OBGYN, medical director of the Morning Center performed the delivery. The Morning Center project was begun by Christian medical cost sharing ministry Samaritan Ministries International in 2013. Morning Center uses private, biblical charity without the aid of government funds, to provide an alternative for sidewalk counselors, crisis pregnancy centers and ministries who work in the inner city reaching abortion-at-risk and underserved women. The need for a ministry which offers high quality, comprehensive prenatal, birth, and post natal care, completely free, and couples it with the Gospel of Jesus and with a vision to partner with existing pro life ministries is great. Morning Center serves two needs in inner cities, offering an alternative to both abortion clinics and government welfare programs. The first Morning Center location was opened in Memphis. Since their inception they have served over 300 women & families, and now barely two years old, have delivered 100 babies. The growth continues as more than 65 babies are scheduled to be delivered the next four months and new locations slated to be open.

Memphis area Pregnancy Center, Life Choices, which partners with and refers clients to the Morning Center shared in their celebration of delivering 100 babies: "On behalf of our staff and volunteers, I extend Life Choices' heartfelt congratulations to The Morning Center on reaching the significant milestone of your 100th birth! Having served the women of Shelby County for 30 years, we see clients from every corner of the greater Memphis area. Some have excellent insurance and enjoy the finest health care available, while others are unfortunately unable to access the pre-natal services TennCare provides them. We are grateful for The Morning Center, to which we refer clients who find themselves in this difficult place, confident that you will provide them with excellent prenatal care."

Morning Center's National Director, James Lansberry was very pleased with the news. "When Samaritan Ministries founded the Morning Center we had no idea how long it would take to reach this milestone of delivering 100 babies. Having the opportunity to serve their mothers in a very practical and personal way has been an honor and a privilege. I believe this mom-centered, private charitable model can be the next step in the prolife movement. It is a way for people to be the hands and feet of Jesus to mothers and babies who need His love and care."

Executive Director Les Riley shared a picture of how the Morning Center serves inner city mothers, one relationship at a time, "Several months ago we got a call from one of our patients who has been living in an abusive relationship. She reached out to us and we ensured that she was provided housing in a safe location. After living with our partnering ministry, the Mid-South Love Home, for a while, she went to live with her family. She has grown so much over the last nine months that she feels capable of making decisions that are right for herself and her baby. She has confidence that comes from her new found faith."

Riley continued, "Stories like this are a daily part of Morning Center. But, we have much more to do. Memphis was chosen as the place to launch the first Morning Center location due to its high maternal and infant mortality rates, lack of adequate prenatal care, as well as high abortion rates. While we are excited at the way the Lord has blessed our work, we are soberly aware that there will still be over 8,000 surgical abortions in Memphis this year and roughly 2,000 poor women will deliver their babies at the government hospital without ever having seen a doctor for prenatal care."

According to Riley, there are new locations in the Memphis & Mid South area as well as new cities coming soon. "We are hoping to open a new clinic location, reaching two different neighborhoods in Memphis before the end of 2015 and moving into neighboring states in early 2016. The last three months I have personally had inquiries from six cities across the country that were not even slated for early locations when we began. When pro life Christians learn of what we are doing and understand the unique role Morning Center is playing by taking this next step in the pro life movement, they get excited. Normally they are most surprised by the fact that we have been able to do this without accepting any support from government funds. I have been involved in various aspects of pro life work and missions for 25 years and am not aware of any ministry quite like this. If anyone is interested in learning more about bringing a Morning Center to their city or volunteering at one of our existing locations please contact us at info@morningcenter.org or visit our website at www.morningcenter.org."